San Francisco bans official travel to states with anti-LGBT laws

The Board of Supervisors Tuesday unanimously approved legislation banning official city travel to states that sanction discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

The legislation, introduced by Supervisor Scott Wiener, also makes the city the first in the nation to prohibit city contracts with and purchases from companies in such states.

Wiener said in a statement:

“Today San Francisco took a strong stand against anti-LGBT hate laws in our country. … I’m proud that our city is stepping out and being a leader in this fight.”

The legislation was motivated by laws passed in April in Mississippi and in North Carolina, and codified moves made by Mayor Ed Lee to prohibit city travel to those states.

The Mississippi legislation provided legal protection for discrimination on the basis of sexual or gender orientation or marital status. In North Carolina, state legislation prohibited local governments from passing anti-discrimination laws and required transgender people to use the restroom indicated by the gender on their birth certificate.

The ordinance allows city departments to appeal the ban in limited cases, including for public health and emergency crises, if there is only one source providing the service or item required.